Help with serious plateau...

natesteban
natesteban Posts: 1 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm really happy to have lost 25 pounds with MFP since December 2010. I did this with exercise 1-2 times per week, whenever possible, mostly circuit training of some time or walking 4 miles. I honestly didn't kill myself if I couldn't exercise. there were definitely weeks where I did not make it to the gym. In July, I began to incorporate more exercise, as I got better at it. I've built up to exercising 5 times a week. However, I'm still at the same weight I was in July. It is really frustrating to have incorporated so much exercise and not see the scale budge. I've given it over two months now to see if exercise would make the scale move, and it has not. I notice my clothes fit me better, flatter stomach, stronger arms, etc. etc. But that scale is really making me mad.

What I've tried:
- exercise more (incorporated spinning 2-3 times week, in addition to weights)
- eat less (stick to the 1200 calories on days I work out)
- eat MORE, I take one or two days in the weekend to eat more calories (approx 1000 more one or two days)
- don't eat past 6pm (this helped me lose the original 25 pounds)

Stats
- female
- 5'10"
- SW: 207
- Current Weight: 179

HELP!!!!

Replies

  • tickletickle
    tickletickle Posts: 147
    flush yourself with water? there is info on sparkpeople on this.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    My opinion, don't do this-

    - eat less (stick to the 1200 calories on days I work out)


    - eat MORE, I take one or two days in the weekend to eat more calories (approx 1000 more one or two days)

    Consistency, and recovery feul (a.k.a. excersize calories) is the key.
    Good luck!
  • amandalovesyouu
    amandalovesyouu Posts: 10 Member
    Try switching up your diet! More protein or less... no carbs or more carbs.. no meat.. whatever it is your eating your body is used to it.. if you can even join weight watchers..

    Ive been there it sucks.. not seeing that scale move :/ stay strong and keep going!!

    Somethings gotta give

    :]
  • ameyc2002
    ameyc2002 Posts: 247 Member
    maybe you need to recalculate your goals on here... just a thought
  • nukehiker
    nukehiker Posts: 457
    how many calories are you consuming a day ? if your consuming 1500 but then lets say you burn off 500 with your workout then your net is 1000 cals anything less then 1200 net calories aday is starvation mode. also what are you eating ? how much protein, carbs etc ?? and carbs must be from good quality sources not white bread, processed foods etc ?
  • rachelaughe
    rachelaughe Posts: 21 Member
    Throw away your scale! You say you feel better and your clothes fit better, which means you ARE making progress no matter what the scale says. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat, and there are many other factors that could contribute to the scale not going down. If you are burning more calories than you are taking in you WILL eventually lose weight. Right now, patience and dedication are your best friend, and the scale is your worst enemy.
  • caroln3
    caroln3 Posts: 217
    I would like to know because I have been at the same weight for weeks now. I am going to try to stick to my 1200 calories, I haven't tried that yet.
  • nukehiker
    nukehiker Posts: 457
    on a positive note you stated that your clothes were fitting better ? well also keep in mind that you are building muscle while burning fat so the scale is not the best option. I would say take your measurements on a regular basis
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,797 Member
    well, then maybe its muscle ? good luck
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    Just remember; Muscle weighs more than fat!

    If you had a waist measurement from before, you might want to check it out, it could very well be then you are still losing fat, however you are also gaining muscle to go along with it. If you did not have a waist measurement from before, take one now and check it out in a couple of weeks. I bet you will be surprised!

    Also remember to give your body a break and a chance to heal! Rotate your workouts, because too much exercise can also be bad! Be careful not to do too much weight lifting and the like, especially if you are trying to get rid of bulk! The heavier something makes you breathe - in general - the better! swimming is always great for a full body workout! Try swimming one day, then on the stationary bike and walking the next. rotate, and give your body time to rest in between workouts!

    Do not get discouraged! If you still find you are not losing weight or inches, try talking to a nutritionist and bring in your reports from here so they can see what you have been doing, and if something is wrong in your diet!

    Keep the faith, you will get there!

    ~Kelly
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    I would NOT do 1200 or less. (unless you're super tiny or have 70+ to lose.

    You don't mention your goals... the thing that worked best for me was changing my goals from the default.
    45% protein, 25% carb, 30% fat --- and carbs are mostly from things like greek yogurt, quinoa, whole grains etc.
    I try to eat back at least half of my exercise calories.
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
    It's a lot easier and more reliable to give advice when we can see your diary.
  • ChristinaMcKeever
    ChristinaMcKeever Posts: 84 Member
    Remember though that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are looking lean and tone then you are definitely building up a good muscle workout... keep it up and yes you need to feed your body i always eat at least 1,000 calories a day. your body needs the food to keep your metabolism going.... I wish you good luck hopefully i could help.
  • georgiepi
    georgiepi Posts: 1
    Have you been measuring yourself? If you have you might notice that your measurements have decreased, even though your weight hasn't. If you are building muscle but loosing fat this could mean that your weight is not changing even though your dress size might be decreasing. muscle weighs more than fat.
    It does sound like you are doing all the right things. I would suggest talking to an expert or your Dr. before drastically cutting your calories.
    Gook luck.
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
    I lost just a couple of pounds in the beginning, and then stagnated for like 2 months. Once I stopped eating Lean Cuisines for every meal and instead started eating salads with egg or tuna, and other protein-rich whole foods, I started to lose weight again. My weight loss has been very gradual, it has taken me forever to lose 7 pounds, but I am also working with a trainer 3 days a week and building muscle. If you don't eat much protein, I would try to add more in, and also eliminate pre-packaged meals if you rely on those.
  • cmodderman
    cmodderman Posts: 1
    I feel plateau's pain. I started MFP on May 13th after open heart surgery i weighed in at 167#, I lost 9# by the end of June. Nothing since. I started an exercise program of 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. Then bumped it up to 5 days a week, but it didn't help.

    I am tired of getting the message "if every day were like today you could weigh 153.9# in 5 weeks. Well, 5 weeks has come and gone more than once and I am still stuck at 158!

    Stats
    35
    female
    SW 167
    CW 158
    GW 140

    I eat between 1200 - 1300 calories a day, less than 43 grams of fat, and add my exercise so I can compensate for extra calories burned.
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
    You don't have sodium showing but my guess is it's fairly high. MFP is very generous at 2500mg/day. I try to stay under 1700. You may start there. I'd also recommend logging consistently. It's really easy to over eat, without realizing it, when you don't.
  • Sararainmaker
    Sararainmaker Posts: 48 Member
    I feel plateau's pain. I started MFP on May 13th after open heart surgery i weighed in at 167#, I lost 9# by the end of June. Nothing since. I started an exercise program of 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week. Then bumped it up to 5 days a week, but it didn't help.

    I am tired of getting the message "if every day were like today you could weigh 153.9# in 5 weeks. Well, 5 weeks has come and gone more than once and I am still stuck at 158!

    Stats
    35
    female
    SW 167
    CW 158
    GW 140

    I eat between 1200 - 1300 calories a day, less than 43 grams of fat, and add my exercise so I can compensate for extra calories burned.

    1200-1300 seems a bit low, especially when exercising... I am not sure of your height or daily activity level, but with me, anything under 1200, without exercise, is considered starvation... and starvation puts your body in a kind of fat storing hibernation mode.

    Just remember: Eating less is not always better... eating healthy is!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    My opinion, don't do this-

    - eat less (stick to the 1200 calories on days I work out)


    - eat MORE, I take one or two days in the weekend to eat more calories (approx 1000 more one or two days)

    Consistency, and recovery feul (a.k.a. excersize calories) is the key.
    Good luck!
    Agree with the above. If you're consistently netting well under 1200 calories and then eating more on the weekends, there's a strong likelihood that your body is hanging onto those extra weekend calories because it isn't getting enough the rest of the week.

    Einstein's definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If your stuck, it's time to switch things up a bit. Try eating back at least half of your exercise calories and changing up your macros. I broke a plateau recently by adding more protein and cutting carbs to around 70-80 net while completely cutting out most processed carbs (no white flour, no sugar, no white rice, etc.)
  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
    my suggestion is to cut those processed carbs WAY down.... like to 100 a day or less...for a couple weeks. fill your plates with whole foods -- fresh fruits and veggies, very little dairy, nuts/nut butters, and lean protein. see what happens. good luck!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    1200 calories is the minimum amount the human body needs for survival. Why does everybody assume that's what you're supposed to eat? Of course you're plateauing, your body is hanging onto every last calorie in order to survive.

    Also, sorry to burst the bubbles in here, but you do not build muscle on severe calorie deficits, you need large calorie surpluses to build muscle.
This discussion has been closed.

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